In Thursday’s game, one of the crazier things that happened was Jeff Francoeur drove a runner home with a single. Because as poorly as this team has played in the last two weeks, Frenchy has stood out as perhaps the worst offensive performer on this struggling club. Seriously… Gordon hasn’t been good, but he’s still picked up some quality plate appearances every now and again. Hosmer has a dismal BABIP, but leads the team with five home runs. No, the worst hitter in this lineup has been Francoeur and it isn’t even close.

I’m not telling you anything you don’t know.

Let’s dive a little deeper into The Francoeur Abyss…

Francoeur has always had a strike zone that was more about zip codes than focusing on anything crossing over the 18 inch wide slab he’s standing over. Except this season he’s descended into a special kind of free swinging hell. According to Fangraphs, here is the percentage of pitches that would be called balls by a “perfect” umpire that Francoeur is swinging at over the last five seasons:

2008 – 36.3%
2009 – 36.0%
2010 – 43.4%
2011 – 41.2%
2012 – 44.3%

He’s really upped the ante the last three seasons, hasn’t he? And it’s not surprising that in the small sample that is the 2012 season, he’s at his highest rate of his career. Because when a free swinger like Frenchy starts struggling, what usually happens? Right… He expands the zone. When he should be selective – because it’s the only way he can escape – he’s taking a rip at virtually any pitch in any situation.

The average major league hitter is swinging at 45 percent of all pitches he sees this season. Francoeur is swinging at 55 percent. He’s not doing himself – or the Royals – any favors.

The complete lack of discipline is illustrated from the graph of pitches he’s offered at. He is literally swinging at everything. Most major leaguers have a weak spot. Think Eric Hosmer last summer not being able to lay off the high fastball. Francoeur’s weak spot is whatever state he’s playing in that night. Yes, the entire state.

Behold…

Just for fun, here’s the swing chart from another Royal hitter. Notice the tidy cluster of swings on fastballs inside the strike zone. I thought about having a little contest… Name that swing chart or something. But then I thought, it’s too damn obvious. The only guy on this team with that kind of discipline and strike zone management is Billy Butler. Professional Hitter. Destroyer of Country Breakfasts.

Beautiful…

It’s not a fair comparison. One is a really good hitter, the other isn’t. I present them both merely to illustrate the extremes.

So not only is Francoeur swinging at more pitches outside the zone, his contact has been dreadful. I know the Royals broadcasters have been talking about how he’s “due” to hit a home run. Right. The only problem is, in order to hit a home run, you have to get the ball in the air. Currently, Francoeur has a 1.94 GB/FB ratio. Over half the balls he’s put into play have been on the ground. (52.3% of all balls in play have been grounders.) It might actually be preferable that he miss a pitch. Amazingly, that’s not a problem. The problem is the miserable contact that comes with taking miserable swings at miserable pitches.

The results have been incredibly maddening. He’s hit into four double plays in 20 opportunities (as defined by having a runner on first and less than two outs.) He has a grand total of four walks and four extra base hits. And he’s come to the plate with 44 runners on base and has brought home three. Three. That’s an RBI rate of 7 percent. That’s not good.

The Royals have won two games in a row where they have scored a total of 12 runs. Which is fantastic. But the allegiance to Francoeur and his place in the lineup needs to stop. Yosty won’t send him to the bench, but he needs to drop him to eighth or ninth in the order until he modifies his ridiculous approach and begins driving the ball in the air a little more. But asking Francoeur to be more selective at the plate is like asking a Kardashian to shun attention. Probably not going to happen. So at the very least, he needs to drop until he stops hitting so many damn ground balls.

Right now, this season feels like a replay of Francoeur’s 2010, when he hit .237/.293/.369 for the Mets before they had seen enough and shipped him to Texas for Joaquin Arias. If Francoeur is still performing at his current level when Lorenzo Cain comes back, (which is entirely possible, no matter how long Cain is out) the Royals shouldn’t hesitate… They should play Cain in center, Mitch Maier in right and sit Frenchy’s butt on the bench.

Last year’s free agent success turns into this year’s extension nightmare. Well played, Dayton. Well played.

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Comments

Written by Danny about 3 years ago.

If he can just get at least close to numbers like he had last year, then I am happy. His ability to throw guys out anywhere on the field is huge. He is just a good stop-gap until wil meyers is ready. Frenchy will be fine.

For some time, I’ve been thinking that Moose should bat ahead of Frenchy – forget about the left/right batting order thing. These kind of charts makes you wonder why Frenchy can’t realize the problem (I’m sure Seitzer has told him) and do something about it. Maybe take his first at-bat and intentionally try to get a walk – wouldn’t that help him mentally the rest of the game?

Written by Chaim Mattis Keller about 3 years ago.

But…but…Leadership! Chemistry! How dare you suggest that extending Frenchy was a bad idea?

Rewind yourself, sir!

Written by Abh about 3 years ago.

Wil Myers is on a hot streak in AA. Hopefully he can keep it up and head to Omaha by mid season… but the question is, how eager will the Royals be to cut bait with Frenchy when/if he’s ready for MLB. My sense is not very eager.

Written by Eric about 3 years ago.

Gordon has been pretty good over the last 10 games: .293/.383/.512/.895
His overall numbers are being weighed down by the first 9.

Hosmer’s last 6 is:.286/.375/.607/.982

Considering what Moustakas and Butler are doing, we just need Cain to get healthy, and Francoeur to come around and the offense will be OK.

Written by Grant about 3 years ago.

I read an article last night on the Bleacher Report that the Royals should consider trading for Adam Jones. Now, I’m not sure if any of you guys read the Bleacher Report, but some of their articles are sometimes hilariously dumb. However, I think this one might make some sense. Any thoughts? Plug Jones into the 2nd spot in the lineup? Or down to 5th? Maybe trade Chris Dwyer or Jason Adam?

Written by Greg about 3 years ago.

Pass on Jones. He’s not someone I’d want to extend and will be expensive in arbitration next year then gone. Also it would take far more than you’ve suggested to get him. Let Cain play. See what we’ve got.

The first 9 games of the season Mr. French was hitting .286, then the team started a dismal losing streak where everyone was trying way too hard individually to get the big hit to end the streak. During that time Jeff hit .175, the last 5 games he has hit .227. As the team relaxes and Gordon, Hosmer and Butler get on base French will see more RBI opportunities. Career Jeff is .272 with RISP, he is a leader and a vetran, you want him in the 5 or 6 hole where he will see plate appearences with men on base. Mr. Brown is a bit aggressive already calling for a pine pony for Mr. French this early in the season with the way it started. Jeff will hit .270 with 15+ assists in the outfield and will hit for extra bases while providing entertainment for the players and fans…Go Ahead Frenchy!!

Written by Sean about 3 years ago.

I couldn’t agree more. His at bats have been painful. The last week especially he keeps fouling off pitches right down the middle but will put a ball in play a foot off the plate. He’s been a rally killer no matter how much he wants to lead. Moving him down to 7th or 8th for a bit is the only lineup change Yost seems to hesitate on.

Written by Joey about 3 years ago.

Really, we are going to pick on Francouer? Sure, he hits alot of ground balls that cause double plays, sure, he swings at everything coming towards home plate. Sure, he strikes out enough. But man does he look cool. He looks like he’s a stud and his wife is hot. Maybe Yost thinks he’s too cool to sit the bench. Maybe Gio should not not shave for a few days and get a hot wife and Yost will call him up and sit the ugly Yuni on the bench next to him.

Written by Greg about 3 years ago.

We’re more likey to see Yosty move Francouer up than down. He already slotted him in 2 spot once. I do think Francouer will have a hot streak or two, but it will not be enough to outweigh his general suckitude. At least he’s on a two year deal…

Written by Brandon about 3 years ago.

I’m with DanL, at what point should Yost just say screw it with the LRLR lineup and put Moose in the 5 hole?
Also, I like the one fastball on Billy’s chart that’s not even in the gray next to the left axis… Don’t worry about that one.

Written by eric about 3 years ago.

This article is a bit harsh don’t you think? To say his extension was a bad move based off 20 games is a bit extreme. We needed a right fielder to hold down the fort for 2 seasons. Frenchy seems like a pretty good candidate for that. Yes he is off to a bad start, the entire team was off to a bad start (except Butler). Moose and Esky weren’t good for the first 8 games or so and then came around, Gordon and Hos took a bit longer, but they are starting to come around, and Frenchy will probably come around as well. He may not recreate the 65+ extra base hits, but he will play solid. The league has always had free swingers, Kirby Puckett openly admitted to swinging at every pitch and I think he’s a HOF’er. No Frenchy is not at that level and never will be, however I believe he will play solid right field for the next two seasons (or 1.5 depending on Myers who is hot right now).

Written by Greg about 3 years ago.

Eric,

The extension was bad the day it was signed. These twenty games are further evidence, not the only evidence.

Written by bATMAN about 3 years ago.

What are myers minor league numbers right now? What website covers the minors stats best?

Written by Common Sense about 3 years ago.

Frenchy is a problem. You will not win at the major league level if your players are swinging at balls. Hosmer is finally learning that. I am for Mitch when Cain comes back

Written by Breido about 3 years ago.

re: Nathan Brown

“you want him in the 5 or 6 hole where he will see plate appearences with men on base.”

You could not possibly be more wrong.

Written by Chris about 3 years ago.

How is this any different than any other year for Frenchy? He has a bad few months and a 3-week stretch where he’s the hottest hitter in the game. And all of it averages out to pedestrian numbers. This year’s no different, so remember that when he hits .429 for a 15 game period.

Written by joe about 3 years ago.

Well it matters a bit more when he’s hitting 5, hitting grounders as option A, and striking out on pitches in the dirt as option B.

Written by Eightball about 3 years ago.

I agree that Frenchy shld at least be the No. 6 hitter and put Moose behind Hosmer, I know the L/R/L thinking but it just feels right having Hosmer and Moose together in the lineup in all honesty and Moose has shown some pretty good plate discipline, I think he deserves that 5 spot in the lineup.

Written by Eric M. about 3 years ago.

The guy hit .285 with 87 RBIs and 20 homers last year. I don’t think we need to crucify him just yet…the whole team hit poorly (except Butler) over the last month. Frenchy is taking a bit longer to come out of it, and maybe he won’t, but to say, “this season FEELS like 2010″ is not only an utterly useless and meaningless phrase, but to then add that Maier should replace him while Maier is hitting only marginally better and isn’t nearly the right-fielder? Well, that smacks more of animus than anything. And really, that surely isn’t the point of your effort on this blog….is it?

Written by Joe about 3 years ago.

First, he fas five seasons of bad, he could have just said this feels like every season minus April through June of last year.

Second he doesn’t see pitches, again he probably costs the other starter six pitches a night for three outs. In baseball the team who’s starter leaves first normaly loses the game. He makes it that much easier for the other sp to pitch into the 7th and 8th.

Oh and maier doesn’t have to get a friendly call last night to make that out, francour is SLOW, don’t know why… Oh wait tv guys are homers or they get fired, nevrmind he’s a base stealing machine with plus range :sarcasm:

Pitches per plate appearance is an interesting stat. Below is a comparison between Frenchy, Billy and Alex – which I think people would agree are suppose to be the veteren offensive leaders, but with different styles (the trend is more telling than the actual number).

Frenchy is clearly not as patient this year as last, but if you compute pitches seen for five plate appearances, he is only seeing one less per game this year (16.85 vs. 18.20). The drop in OPS matches what Craig points out in this article – swinging at bad pitches results in poor stats.